Speech #760182907

In 1933 Congress passed the Philippine Independence Act. whch limited to 850.000 long tons the amount of Philippine sugar which can be entered free of duty. Also in 1933 the Department of Agriculture invited the domestic areas to submit a plan for stabilization of the sugar market. but the stabilization agreement drafted by the sugar industry was rejected by the Secretary of Agriculture. In 1934 the President requested Congress to make sugar beets and sugarcane basic agricultural commodities and to provide a quota system. which became law under the JonesCostigan Act. Also in 1934 the tariff on Cuban sugar was reduced by Presidential proclamation under the flexibletariff provisions to 1.50 cents per pound and all other foreign sugars to 1.875 cents per pound. After the JonesCostigan Act became law the Cuban trade agreement went into effect. providing for a further reduction in tariff from 1.50 cents to 0.90 cent per pound on Cuban sugar.